CMO Confidential

Adam Brotman and Andy Sack | Co-Founders, Forum3 | It's a Bird! It's a Plane! Holy Sh!t, It's AI!

A CMO Confidential Interview with Andy Sack and Adam Brotman, Co-Founders and Co-CEO's of Forum 3, authors of the book AI First, previously at Microsoft and Starbucks. They discuss why AI is different from previous technology advances and the series of "Holy Shit!" moments experienced when interviewing Sam Altman, Bill Gates and others. Key topics include: their belief that AI is "moving faster than you think" since it isn't constrained by an adoption curve or infrastructure; the power of Artifi...

Michael Treff | CEO, Code and Theory | Why Your AI Strategy Needs to Be More Than Tools & Efficiency - An Agency Perspective

A CMO Confidential Interview with Michael Treff, the CEO of Code + Theory, a growing 2000 person agency which combines technology and creativity. Michael discusses the disruption in consumer behavior, why B2B client service is becoming more holistic, and why companies should "go on offense" in a time of uncertainty. Key topics include: The strategic question of "What do you want your humans to be doing;" his belief that there will be a growing demand for ROI on tech spending; how everyone can be...

Nancie McDonnell Ruder | CEO, Noetic Consulting | You're Brought In to Fix the Brand - Now What?

Nancie discusses her "brand fix" classifications of refine, purposefully manage, and transform, how to get started with data even when money and time are tight, some "Taylor Swift" approaches to brand work, and the difference between mission and brand. Key topics include: how to get the organization in harmony; why "The Big Reveal" is usually the wrong way to go; and her belief that both Sephora and Apple are losing brand steam. Tune in to hear case studies on Georgetown, The Mayo Clinic, and Sa...

Eugene Soltes | Harvard | Managing the Gray Area - The Fine Line Between Puffery & Lying | Part 2

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Eugene Soltes, Harvard Business School Professor and author of "Why They Do It - Inside the Mind of the White Collar Criminal". Eugene discusses how most crimes start out as small, often unnoticed decisions made by strategic people, how nearly everyone has a chance to step over the line, why many companies (Air BnB, Uber, AI) take regulatory risk, and how culture drives poor individual choices. Key topics include: when puffery gets murky; why it's dangerous ...

Eugene Soltes | Harvard | Managing the Gray Area - The Fine Line Between Puffery & Lying | Part 1

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Eugene Soltes, Harvard Business School Professor and author of "Why They Do It - Inside the Mind of the White Collar Criminal". Eugene discusses how most crimes start out as small, often unnoticed decisions made by strategic people, how nearly everyone has a chance to step over the line, why many companies (Air BnB, Uber, AI) take regulatory risk, and how culture drives poor individual choices. Key topics include: when puffery gets murky; why it's dangerous ...

Teresa Barreira | Publicis Sapient | The Case For & Against CMO's - Do Companies Really Need One?

A CMO Confidential Interview with Teresa Barreira, EVP & Global CMO and CCO of Publicis Sapient, formerly the CMO of Deloitte Consulting. Teresa discusses the evolution of the role in an age of uncertainty, how the "Business of Marketing" has been replaced by "The Business of the Company," and her belief that B2B and B2C Marketing are converging. Key topics include: why she believes the role is evolving to a "Chief Value Officer" tasked with being a "growth architect;" the differing types of...

Jack Myers | The Media Revolution Has Arrived - Are You Prepared for the Next Wave?

Dr. Joel Shapiro | Northwestern | The Grocery Prediction Case - It's Not Just About the Data

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Joel Shapiro, Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences Professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, formerly Varicent Chief Analytics Officer. Joel discusses the difference between Data Science and Data Leadership, how many "little, better decisions" aggregate into something meaningful, and why everyone should remember that "data doesn't make decisions." Key topics include: understanding asymmetric risk, how intangibles scuttled a profi...

Evan Wittenberg | Chief People Officer, VuMedi | What HR Really Thinks About Marketing

A CMO Confidential Interview with Evan Wittenberg, Chief People Officer of VuMedi, formerly CPO of Ancestry and Box, Google's Head of Leadership Development, and a Saturday Night Live Page. Evan discusses why HR has become a much tougher position over the last 5 years, AI's negative impact on leadership development, and the similarities between marketing and HR. Key topics include: his belief that every function should have a dedicated people partner; why "the burden of proof" is often higher fo...

Andrew Medvedev | A Perspective on Business Schools - The Race to Keep Up With the Marketplace

A CMO Confidential Interview with Andrew Medvedev, Dean of the Weatherhead School of Management at @case Western Reserve University, former Managing Director and portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley. Andrew discusses why he left Wall Street for the opportunity to reimagine Weatherhead, why schools should reassess traditional industrial economy approaches to education, and his vision of building a "problem solving institution" which trains students on "how to get things done." Key topics include: ...

Jim Lecinski | The Insomnia Cookies Case - The GOST Model Taught at Northwestern

A CMO Confidential Interview with Jim Lecinski, Clinical Professor of Marketing at the Kellogg School of Management, two time author, and former Google VP. Jim discusses the need to teach both durable and perishable knowledge, the importance of faculty composition, why students should "sample" B-Schools, and how the Northwestern "House Design" keeps it ranked as the #1 marketing school. We go inside the Insomnia Cookies Case which uses GOST (Goals, Objectives, Strategy and Tactics) and 70/20/10 ...

Jon Miller | Cofounder Marketo, Engagio | The Gumball Machine is Broken - Rethinking B2B Marketing

John Rudaizky | Global CBO and CMO, EY | Marketing a Service - The Art of Selling Confidence

A CMO Confidential Interview with John Rudaizky, EY Chief Brand & Marketing Officer, who previously held leadership positions at WPP, J. Walter Thompson, and Saatchi & Saatchi. John discusses the concept of confidence including how to market it to clients, build it into the organization and measure it in the marketplace. Key topics include: why brands benefit from strong competitors; his belief that creativity is the single most important business advantage; and the challenge of ensuring...

Rishad Tobaccowala | The Omnicom IPG Merger - What it Means & What's Next | Part 2

A CMO Confidential Interview with Rishad Tobaccowala, former Publicis Groupe Strategy & Growth Officer, speaker, author, and podcast host of "What's Next." Rishad discusses the media, data, and technology scale benefits driving agency consolidation, the challenge of managing people through a merger, and his new book, Rethinking Work. Key topics include: why talent and marketing will be more important in an AI world; why everyone should operate as a "company of one;" how the world is moving t...

Rishad Tobaccowala | The Omnicom IPG Merger - What it Means & What's Next | Part 1

A CMO Confidential Interview with Rishad Tobaccowala, former Publicis Groupe Strategy & Growth Officer, speaker, author, and podcast host of "What's Next." Rishad discusses the media, data, and technology scale benefits driving agency consolidation, the challenge of managing people through a merger, and his new book, Rethinking Work. Key topics include: why talent and marketing will be more important in an AI world; why everyone should operate as a "company of one;" how the world is moving t...

Joe Tripodi | Lessons Learned From a Storied Marketing Career | Former CMO Coca-Cola, Mastercard

Richard Sanderson | A Rapid Evolution in the Marketplace - The Spencer Stuart 2025 CMO Study

A CMO Confidential Interview with Richard Sanderson, the firm's Marketing, Sales and Communications leader shares his take on the "hot off the presses" study of the Fortune 500. Toplines include stable tenure with variations by industry, how the job and title are rapidly morphing away from the traditional role (only 40% of companies use the CMO title), and the fact that a full "one third" of companies do not have a CMO-like role. Richard shares his observations of marketplace dynamics which incl...

ZRG Partners| The Top 5 Mistakes CEOs and Boards Make When Hiring CMOs| Kate Bullis and David Wiser

A CMO Confidential Interview with Kate Bullis and David Wiser, Managing Partners and Global Marketing Practice Leaders for ZRG Partners. Kate and David translate their extensive search experience to classify common mistakes into "movie themes" and share tips on how to recognize if you are directing or reading for a part in a disaster film. From "Play It Again, Sam," to "No, No, It's Really A CMO Role!" to "Death by Committee!" they describe the all-too-familiar plotlines and how to tear apart th...

Gary Briggs | Marketing Observations and Lessons Learned From the 24' Presidential Election | Part 2

Welcome back for Part 2 of A CMO Confidential Interview with Gary Briggs, former CMO of Facebook and eBay, and board member at Etsy, Petco & Combe. As the Paid Media Advisor to the Harris campaign, Gary shares the inside story of what it is like to work at breakneck speed in the rapid spin up of a political organization and all of the marketing that goes with it. Key discussion points include: a look at the billions spent in 18% of the country; what it's like to make tens of thousands of cre...

Gary Briggs | Marketing Observations and Lessons Learned From the 2024 Presidential Election

A CMO Confidential Interview with Gary Briggs, former CMO of Facebook and eBay, and board member at Etsy, Petco & Combe. As the Paid Media Advisor to the Harris campaign, Gary shares the inside story of what it is like to work at breakneck speed in the rapid spin up of a political organization and all of the marketing that goes with it. Key discussion points include: a look at the billions spent in 18% of the country; what it's like to make tens of thousands of creative assets at speed; why ...

Gabrielle Kessler | SVP Brand Experience, We Are Social | A Primer on Experiential Marketing

A CMO Confidential Interview with Gabrielle Kessler, SVP Brand Experience at @wearesocial + Narrative, and experienced agency executive. Gabrielle discusses why experiential marketing should be part of an integrated plan versus a stand alone stunt, the value of delivering an emotional memory, and how experiential can reach "ad blind" customers. Key topics include: why marketers should start with objectives and targets versus a "tactic" they see in the marketplace; setting realistic expectations;...

Josh Golden | Vulnerability & Personal Branding - Two 2-Edged Swords | CMO Confidential

A CMO Confidential Interview with Josh Golden, CMO of Quad, Creator of Eureka and 3 Things, former Publisher & President of Ad Age. Josh outlines the key components of both personal and business vulnerability and offers tips regarding the balance between enough and too much disclosure. He also shares how to build a personal brand without "overshadowing" your company brand. Key discussion topics include; why authenticity is just the starting point; the balance between vulnerability and "wishy...

Prof Daniel McCarthy | Door Dash and Food Delivery - The Case For Building a Subscription Model

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Dan McCarthy, Professor of Marketing at Maryland. Dan returns for the third time to share research on the food delivery business and how marketers can "bend the growth curve" by implementing a subscription model. He discusses the engineering behind various subscription models and why most marketers should "at least" consider these programs. Key topics include: the difference between "promiscuous" and "heavy" buyers; balancing the "give versus the get," and h...

Kip Knight | Putting the Chief in CMO - Being Good at Marketing Isn't Enough | CMO Confidential

A CMO Confidential Interview with Kip Knight, founder of CMO Coaches, formerly CMO of Taco Bell and H&R Block US President. Kip breaks marketing leadership into "3 Chiefs" - Marketing Leader, Member of the Exec (First) Team, and Company Ambassador and offers tips for how to sequence and think about all three. Key discussion topics include: why running marketing is like being a conductor; how to become a respected member of "The First Team" by remembering "marketing isn't a special function;"...

Carilu Dietrich | B2B Marketing - 2024 The Year in Review + The Year Ahead | CMO Confidential

CMO Confidential correspondent Carilu Dietrich, former CMO and hypergrowth advisor who helped take Atlassian public, returns to talk about why she thinks 2025 represents the biggest change in the B2B marketplace in decades. Carilu discusses the potential acceleration of acquisitions and investment driven by macroeconomic factors and how AI is "smacking everyone in the face." Key topics include: zero click search; the onset of agentic AI; why in person is increasing in importance; and her belief ...

Peter Fader | Wharton School | The Warby Parker Case - I Can See Clearly Now With My CLTV Glasses On

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. Peter Fader, Professor of Marketing at The Wharton School of Business. This show is a bookend to "The Rise & Fall of Peloton as Seen Through the Lens of CLTV" with Professor Dan McCarthy. Pete discusses the use of Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) as key to understanding the true value of the company and explains why it is risky to think "Your company is different." Key topics include: why customer metrics and stock valuations can be temporarily out of sync...

McKinsey & A.N.A | Marketing - The Battle Between Believers & Non-Believers - Part 2 | Replay

A CMO Confidential Interview with McKinsey Marketing & Sales Partner Robert Tas and Nick Primola, EVP and Head of the CMO Practice at the Association of National Advertisers. We discuss their recent study and Wall Street Journal article showing that CEO's who have marketing at the center of their strategy have measurably better results. They discuss the 3 types of CEO's including "non-believers" and why so many still exist, the dangers of running marketing as a cost center, and the tremendou...

McKinsey & A.N.A | Marketing: The Battle Between Believers & Non Believers | Part 1

This week's holiday episode revisits one of our most popular shows from the past year where leaders from @McKinsey and @ANAmarketers discuss the continued divide between marketing believers and non-believers. A CMO Confidential Interview with McKinsey Marketing & Sales Partner Robert Tas and Nick Primola, EVP and Head of the CMO Practice at the ANA. We discuss their recent study and Wall Street Journal article showing that CEO's who have marketing at the center of their strategy have measura...

Adam Brotman and Andy Sack | Forum 3 | It's a Bird! It's a Plane! Holy Shit, It's AI! Part 2

This is Part 2 of A CMO Confidential Interview with Andy Sack and Adam Brotman, Co-Founders and Co-CEO's of Forum 3, authors of the book AI First, previously at Microsoft and Starbucks. They discuss why AI is different from previous technology advances and the series of "Holy Shit!" moments experienced when interviewing Sam Altman, Bill Gates and others. Key topics include: their belief that AI is "moving faster than you think" since it isn't constrained by an adoption curve or infrastructure; t...

Adam Brotman and Andy Sack | Forum 3| It's a Bird! It's a Plane! Holy Shit, It's AI!" Part 1

A CMO Confidential Interview with Andy Sack and Adam Brotman, Co-Founders and Co-CEO's of Forum 3, authors of the book AI First, previously at Microsoft and Starbucks. They discuss why AI is different from previous technology advances and the series of "Holy Shit!" moments experienced when interviewing Sam Altman, Bill Gates and others. Key topics include: their belief that AI is "moving faster than you think" since it isn't constrained by an adoption curve or infrastructure; the power of Artifi...